Securely Generating and Storing Passwords in a Computer System
First Claim
1. A method of protecting a password in a computer, comprising a processor:
- selecting a first local configuration word associated with the computer as a data word;
applying a hash function to the data word to calculate a hash value; and
generating an encrypted string by using the hash value as a key to encrypt the password; and
storing the encrypted string in a memory in the computer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for protecting a password are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a processor selects a set of local configuration data. This can include one or more strings associated with local configuration data. The processor concatenates the set of local configuration data and calculates a hash value of the concatenated data. The processor generates an encrypted string by using the hash value as a key to encrypt the password. Then the processor encodes the encrypted string as a string in a software program. When the password is needed by a first computer system to access a second computer system, the steps are reversed, the password obtained and the first computer system accesses the second computer system.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of protecting a password in a computer, comprising a processor:
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selecting a first local configuration word associated with the computer as a data word; applying a hash function to the data word to calculate a hash value; and generating an encrypted string by using the hash value as a key to encrypt the password; and storing the encrypted string in a memory in the computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system having a plurality of associated local configuration words, comprising:
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a memory having an instruction set stored in it; a processor in communication with the instruction set in the memory, the instruction set operable to cause the processor to; generate a data word from one of the local configuration words; calculating a hash value from the data word; generate an encrypted string by using the hash value as a key to encrypt the password; and store the encrypted string in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system, comprising:
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a first computer having a memory with an instruction set and a processor in communication with the instruction set, and a second computer that can be accessed with a password, wherein the processor, under control of the instruction set, is operable to select a set of local configuration data, to concatenate the set of local configuration data and to calculate a hash value of the concatenated data, to generate an encrypted string by using the hash value as a key to encrypt the password and to encode the encrypted string as a string in a software program wherein the processor, some time later under control of the instruction set, is operable to decode the encrypted string to get binary ciphertext, to obtain the set of local configuration data and calculates the hash value to obtain a reconstructed key, to decrypt the binary ciphertext with the reconstructed key to obtain the password, and to use the password to access the second computer.
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Specification